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G. H. PIERCE;

CLOTHES AND TOWEL RACK.

No. 245,555. Patented Aug. 9,1881.

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CHARLES H. PIERCE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF- ONE-HALF TO ELMER H. GREY, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOTHES AND TOWEL RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,555, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filedOctober 23, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clothes and Towel Racks, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the rack embody: ing my invention, the same being closed or folded. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, an arm being in an open or unfolded condition. Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof, the bottom board or piece being removed. Fig. 4 is a section of a detached portion thereof enlarged; and Fig. 5 is a similar section, the two sections showing an arm opened and closed respectively.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to racks for clothes, towels, and the like; and it consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, Arepresents the back of the rack, to the lower end of which is secured a base, B, consisting of a hollow body, of metal or other suitable material, having a number of slots or openings, a, for the projection of the arms C of the rack, which are pivoted or hinged to the base in the present case by means of a wire, I), which is secured to the base and passed through all of the arms as the axes therefor, although each arm may be mounted on an independent pintle. A portion of each arm is within the base B, and has there secured to it a metallic block or poise, D, of such weight that it slightly overbalances that of the length of the arm which is outside of the base B, and serves to hold the arm upright-its normal position.

When an arm is required for service it is drawn downto a horizontal position, limited by the lower wall of the slot to, and when the clothes, towels, or other articles are hung thereon their weight overcomes that of the poiseD and holds the arm in the operative or support- (No model.)

ing position in which it has been placed. On removal of the articles the arm automatically, or unaided by hand, folds or returns to its upright position, where it is not in the wayof the occupants of the room, all of the arms having the same characteristics of being opened and controlled and automatically folding.

In the closing or folded motion of the arms they may abut against a stop-piece, E, near the top of the back A, thus preventing strain on the parts; but as the poise l) strikes the front of the base B said piece E is not essential.

When the arms are opened the lower walls of the slots to act as abutments for the arms, and relieve the axial wire or pins of the arms of downward strain when the arms are-loaded, this being assisted by the abutment of the poise D against the upper portion of the base.

The weights D have their sides curved orinclined to conform to the shape of the interior face of the slotted base B, and the slots a are of such length and so arranged with reference to pivot b that when an arm, C, is dropped into the horizontal position it has two points of support, one in front of the pivot and against the material of the base at the lower end of the slot, the other behind said pivot and where the weight D of said arm touches the inner face of the upper part of said base. The strain is divided between these two points, each aiding the other by this bracing action. Each arm has also two bracing-points in said base when said arm is vertical.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

lhe combination, with the towel-rack frame or back, of a slotted base and a series of arms pivoted within said base, and provided at their lower ends with weights, which also serve as stops, each arm having two bracing or supporting points in said base, substantially as set forth.

CHAS. H. PIERCE.

Witnesses: JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, W. F. KIROHER. 

